Jammu: At 17.05 hours on Saturday Pakistan Rangers violated ceasefire and started unprovoked firing on the international border in Samba district of Jammu region, targeting nine BSF border posts, an official said.

Pakistan Rangers have used mortars during the ceasefire violation.They targeted Khoada, Mangu, Ragal, Challyarian and other BSF posts, the source added.The civilians were working in the field when a shell fired from across the international border exploded near them.
.One civilian was killed and two others injured in unprovoked Pakistan firing near the Mangu Chak BSF post on Friday.Firing at some of these places is still going on.

Deputy Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Nirmal Singh, yesterday said that Pakistan Rangers opened fire at the BSF posts when the fencing was being repaired.

“Pakistan is time and again trying to push in terrorists and ultimately they cut the fencing to get-in. That fencing was being repaired when the Pakistani rangers opened fire and one person has died in the firing,” Mr Singh said in Jammu city.

The BSF had given a strong reply to the Pakistani firing, he said, adding the exchange of fire had stopped at around 5.30 pm on Friday.

The report also highlighted that India uses the largest amount of groundwater -- 24 per cent of the global total and the country is the third largest exporter of groundwater -- 12 per cent of the global total.

Global groundwater depletion - where the amount of water taken from aquifers exceeds the amount that is restored naturally - increased by 22 per cent between 2000 and 2010, said the report, adding that India's rate of groundwater depletion increased by 23 per cent during the same period. Pixabay

As many as one billion people in India live in areas of physical water scarcity, of which 600 million are in areas of high to extreme water stress, according to a new report.

Globally, close to four billion people live in water-scarce areas, where, for at least part of the year, demand exceeds supply, said the report by non-profit organisation WaterAid.

This number is expected to go up to five billion by 2050, said the report titled “Beneath the Surface: The State of the World’s Water 2019”, released to mark World Water Day on March 22.

Pure water droplet. Pixabay

Physical water scarcity is getting worse, exacerbated by growing demand on water resources and and by climate and population changes.

By 2040 it is predicted that 33 countries are likely to face extremely high water stress – including 15 in the Middle East, most of Northern Africa, Pakistan, Turkey, Afghanistan and Spain. Many – including India, China, Southern Africa, USA and Australia – will face high water stress.

Globally, close to four billion people live in water-scarce areas, where, for at least part of the year, demand exceeds supply, said the report by non-profit organisation WaterAid. Pixabay

Global groundwater depletion – where the amount of water taken from aquifers exceeds the amount that is restored naturally – increased by 22 per cent between 2000 and 2010, said the report, adding that India’s rate of groundwater depletion increased by 23 per cent during the same period.

The report also highlighted that India uses the largest amount of groundwater — 24 per cent of the global total and the country is the third largest exporter of groundwater — 12 per cent of the global total.

The WaterAid report warned that food and clothing imported by wealthy Western countries are making it harder for many poor and marginalised communities to get a daily clean water supply as high-income countries buy products with considerable “water footprints” – the amount of water used in production — from water-scarce countries. (IANS)